To MP: D2P5/D3P1: Zip Lining

Monday, May 28 9:22 pm PT

Writing about the events of Friday night at Saturday morning

"I am falling so far behind in my entries! Ack! Also, I am so tired all the time here.

So, we went to the hot springs Friday night. We took a ten minute cab ride out of town, down steep gravel roads in the pitch (and I mean pitch) black, and drove along the river. The hot springs consisted of three pools, one 'hot' and two 'warm'. We had to take an 'Inca Shower,' as Wilian puts it, of freezing cold water first, then hot in.

It was GRINGO CITY, and there were people from all over the world enjoying the Peruvian thermodynamics. The 'hot' pool was very busy, so after being in a few minutes we switched to a 'warm' one and floated around. It was a nice time. There were guards at-the-ready to kick out obnoxious drunks, which happened with relative frequency since they serve beer on the premises.

The ride back to town was very Peruvian. We were in a van built for 12-14 people, but were about six people over capacity. Packed! I guess it made our ride back much cheaper, however.

The next morning, the view in our bathroom (particularly in the shower) was amazing. The sun was rising, the houses behind our building just waking up, and the mountains behind them calling to us.

The view from our shower/bathroom

We had breakfast and then got in a van filled with a bunch of other tourists headed to a zip line course. It was a fifteen minute trip that left us in the middle of a jungle forest. 

The zip line guys were very professional and got us in our gear quickly. We then got a crash course in zip lining, and hiked. Uphill. Up very steep hills. For twenty minutes. (It must be noted here that I had not yet acclimated to the altitude, and my breathing was ragged while trying to walk quickly on flat ground, let alone up a steep hill!) I was almost the last person to reach the top, and the guides were holding my hand to encourage me up the slopes.

We made it to the top!

There were six lines that zig zagged back down the mountains. The first, highest, went over the forest and to an adjacent mountain across a small valley. The second did the same, only in reverse and slightly lower on the hill. The third through sixth, however, led us across a vast valley at breakneck speeds. The views were amazing from all the lines, with mountains in all directions. The third line, being very fast, almost did me in. I saw the guide at the other end put up his hands, but I thought he was signaling the guy across the way. He wasn't. He was telling me to brake, which I didn't. Instead, I nearly slammed into the side of the mountain, but the harness yanked hard on my pelvis and stopped me. Sad.

Katie and Derek getting ready to go

There she goes!

Who is that coming at us?

Oh, it's Travis!

The rest of the way was relatively uneventful, I even went 'no hands' a few times. At the last one, we were nearly last in line, so one of the guides and I went at the same time and then walked down to base camp together. We spoke in broken Spanish/English, but it was fun and I felt comfortable using my haphazard Spanish since he was slightly worse with English.

Can you spot me?

At base camp, we regrouped, and got ready for another bus ride...